towns. ALWAYS put the house on a pole. The house itself should be 5 to 5 1/2 feet from the ground. There should be a long round baffle about a foot below the house. The opening to the house should face west.
Once you see the first egg in a next, take a dowel rod that will fit not the hole in your pole when you take the cap off of it. Be sure the rod is tall enough for you to attach another dowel perpendicular to the other dowel and near the top of it. To that rod tie 4 clear fishing lines about 8--12 inches hanging down. Attach strips of Mylar (I cut up a balloon) and "s" hooks altenately to hang just above the box but not touching. This keeps predators from taking the eggs and/or babies. Once all of the babies have flown, remove the rod contraption and put the top back on the pole. Clean out the house by splashing it with Clorox water--a ratio of 1 part Clorox to 4 parts after. Follow with clear after until thoroughly rinsed. Prop the door open until it dries out.
Put moth balls at the base of the pole to keep snakes away. They can even get past the long baffle 😬.
I have had as many as 3 sets of babies in one season using this process!
If you have a question about the contraption I described, email me and I'll send you a picture of it.
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